UK Appoints Woman to be Cyber ​​Spy Boss, Previously Deputy Head of MI5 Intelligence Agency

Head of the British cyber intelligence agency. (Twitter/@GCHQ)

JAKARTA - The UK appointed Anne Keast-Butler as the first female director of intelligence communications agency GCHQ on Tuesday, tasked with protecting the country from terrorists, cybercriminals and malicious foreign forces.

He will take over the role in May, replacing Jeremy Fleming who stepped down after a six-year term.

Secretary of State James Cleverly, who voted for Keast-Butler, said the woman had an impressive track record at the heart of Britain's national security network.

"Anne will use her extensive experience to help keep the British public safe," he said, cited from Reuters, April 11.

He is currently the deputy director general at the UK's domestic intelligence agency or MI5.

GCHQ is the UK's premier wiretapping agent and has close ties to the United States' National Security Agency, as well as partners in Canada, Australia and New Zealand in a consortium called "Five Eyes".

GCHQ, which traces its roots back to the early 20th century after the outbreak of the First World War, followed MI5, three decades later, in appointing women heads.

Stella Rimington became the first woman to lead MI5 in 1992 and is said to have inspired the casting of Judi Dench in the role of "M", the head of the British foreign intelligence service known as MI6, in a James Bond film a few years later.

GCHQ gave a rare statement about its cyberoffensive work earlier this month, revealing that its hackers have launched operations against militants, state-backed disinformation campaigns and attempts to meddle in elections.

The agency also works closely with MI6, MI5, the police, the Ministry of Defense government and foreign partners, as well as in the private sector and academia.

Today we can announce the next Director GCHQ.

Anne Keast-Butler will be the 17th leader of GCHQ, the UK's intelligence, security and cyber agency.

Read more ⬇️https://t.co/VM5JIACL1C pic.twitter.com/Vor9ibdQGx

— GCHQ (@GCHQ) April 11, 2023